Bad Bait = Divorce

[Swimmer]

Standing on the wharf in Edgartown and listening to my wife tell me how bad the van stunk, because of the squid juice that had been soaking in the plywood for a couple of weeks when an old guy I had been jigging up butterfish with looks at my wife and says, Miss that smell gives the vehicle character". First time I ever chatted with Ray Metcalf. I always appreciated that remark. Bev was right though it did stink, but in a good way.

[LeCounts1099]

My poor Mom had to put up with all kinds of bait- storage fall- out when I was a teenager (now I'm Single & answer to no- one... and have two Refrigerators!)

Almost nightly in- season, she had to put up with the half- dozen or more large fresh bloody Pogies I snagged that day, for tommorrow Dawn's chunkin'... Smell was minimal though as they were fresh, & I learned to double- pack & cover them with black plastic bags so she didn't see eyes upon opening HER 'fridge. THAT I got away with thankfully!...

Her last straw was my Green Crabs in the garage! (I was on a great shore Blackfish/ 'Tog Surf bite those early Springs back in the '80s when I was maybe 16- 17 or so. A 13.5 the best of 'em... Yes, I have a pic-- & news clipping!)

I had placed a half- bushel of Greens in my cool garage on a hot June day in the cardboard container they had come in. Made sure to weight down the box- top 'till satisfied they couldn't escape. Well, it rained, so they were there a couple of days. No problem I thought-- they'll live... I'm sure you guessed it: the dampness eroded the bottom of the cardboard box though thick... & the crabs punched holes through & escaped all over the Garage!

Of course I found & picked up all I could... But I was finding crab carcasses for years! Need I tell you what that Garage smelled like, esp. summers? Luckily I went away to College for four years right after my "crime!"

[Springtides]

they say:

Keep a lot of them happy before you make one of them miserable.